Nashville Sports Leagues
Futsal Rules
The Ball
- Bounce: 55-65 cm on first bounce
- Material: Leather or other suitable material (i.e., not dangerous)
NUMBER OF PLAYERS
- 3 players min to start and/or finish
- 1 female minimum for coed division
- 3 max males for coed division
- Open divisions do not have gender requirements
- Minimum 3 rostered players in order to pick up from other teams. Max 2 players are allowed to be used as pick up players
SUBSTITUTION
- Substitution Method: "Flying substitution" (all players but the goalkeeper enter and leave as they please; goalkeeper substitutions can only be made when the ball is out of play and with a referee's consent)
PLAYER EQUIPMENT
Same colored shirts, protective shin-guards (required) and footwear with rubber soles
LENGTH OF GAME
Two equal periods of 20 minutes; clock stopped whenever ball is out of play during the final two minutes of each half. Time can be prolonged only to take a penalty kick.
START OF PLAY
Procedure: Coin toss followed by kickoff; opposing team waits outside center circle; ball deemed in play once it has been touched; the
kicker shall not touch ball before someone else touches it; ensuing kick-offs taken after goals scored and at start of second half.
BALL IN AND OUT OF PLAY
- Ball out of play: When it has wholly crossed the goal line or touchline; when the game has been stopped by a referee; when the ball hits the ceiling (restart: kick-in at the place closest to where the ball touched the ceiling).
- Lines: Touchlines and goal lines are considered inside the playing area.
METHOD OF SCORING
When the whole of the ball has passed over the goal line, between the goal posts and under the crossbar (except by illegal means). ALL "own" goals scored will be awarded 1 point. Female goals scored will be awarded 2 points.
FOULS AND MISCONDUCT
Indirect free kick awarded when a player intentionally commits any of the following 11 offenses (penalty kick awarded when infringement takes place in penalty area)
- kicking or attempting to kick an opponent
- charging an opponent in a violent or dangerous manner
- charging an opponent from behind
- striking, attempting to strike, or spitting at an opponent
- charging an opponent with shoulder (i.e., shoulder charge)
- sliding at an opponent (i.e., sliding tackle)
- handling the ball (except goalkeeper)
Players shall be cautioned (i.e., shown yellow card and removed from game for 3 minutes with no substitution) when:
- a substituting player enters the pitch from an incorrect position or before the player he is substituting has entirely left the pitch
- he persistently infringes the Laws of the Game
- he shows dissent with any decision of the referee
- he is guilty of ungentlemanly conduct
These 4 yellow-card offenses are punishable by an indirect free kick taken from the point of infringement (or from the 6-meter line when the infringement takes place in penalty area).
Players shall be sent off (i.e., shown the red card) for:
- second instance of cautionable offense (i.e., second yellow card)
- intentionally impeding a clear goal opportunity (e.g. through a "professional foul")
- intentionally impeding a clear goal opportunity in the penalty area by handling the ball
when the infringement takes place in the penalty area).
RULES OF EXPULSION
- The player sent off (shown a red card) is out for the rest of the game plus an additional game
- The team of the player sent off can substitute for that player after 3 minutes of playing time or after the opposing team scores -- which ever comes first.
- The substitute cannot come on until the ball is out of play and he has a referee's consent.
FREE KICK
- Types: Direct free kicks and indirect free kicks
- Wall: At least 5 meters away until the ball is in play
- Ball in Play: After it has traveled the distance of its own circumference
- Time Limit: Kick must be taken within 4 seconds
- Restriction: Kicker cannot touch the ball again until it has been touched by another player
ACCUMULATED FOULS
Accumulated fouls refer only to all the fouls mentioned in “FOULS AND MISCONDUCT”.
Once a team has accumulated 5 fouls during a half, from the 6th foul:
- that team shall not be allowed a defensive wall
- all free kicks shall be direct (no indirect free kicks)
- infringements committed within 12 meters of the goal line shall be punished with a direct free taken from the point of infringement or from the second penalty spot; infringements committed from12 meters or further from the goal line shall be punished with a direct free kick from the Second Penalty Spot
PROCEDURE
- Until the ball is kicked into play, all players other than the goalkeeper and kicker shall remain behind an imaginary line that is in line with the ball and parallel to the goal line.
- The goalkeeper shall remain in his penalty area at least 5 m away from the ball.
- The kicker must aim at the goal, with the intention of scoring.
- No other player may touch the ball until it has been touched by the pitch, rebounded from the goal post or crossbar, or has left the pitch.
- If the infringement took place in penalty area (and does not merit a penalty kick), the free kick is to be taken from the 6-m-line on the
spot nearest to where the infringement occurred.
PENALTY KICK
- To be taken from the penalty mark on the mid-point of the 6-m-line.
- The kicker is to aim at goal, with the intention of scoring.
- All players must be out of the penalty area, and the players of the opposing team must also be at least 5 m from the penalty spot.
- The kicker shall not play the ball a second time until it has been touched by another player.
KICK IN
- To be taken in place of the throw-in.
- The ball is placed on the touch line before kicking.
- The kicker's foot not kicking the ball must be outside or at least on the touchline; if it crosses the touchline all of the way, into the pitch, the kick-in is given to the opposing team.
- The kick-in must be taken within 4 seconds; if it is not, the kick-in is given to the opposing team.
- The kicker cannot play the ball a second time until it has been played by another player; infringement of this rule entail an indirect free kick to the opposing from the point of infringement.
- Players on opposing team must be at least 5 m away from point of kick-in.
- Cannot score directly from a kick-in.
GOAL CLEARANCE
- To be taken in place of goal kick.
- From inside the penalty area, the goalkeeper throws the ball into play.
- The ball is not in play until it has passed outside of the penalty area. If the goal clearance is received inside of the penalty area, the goal clearance shall be taken over.
CORNER KICK
- Ball placed on the corner (no corner-kick arc). If ball is misplaced, the corner kick is taken over.
- Must be taken within 4 seconds; failure to do so entails indirect free kick to the opposing team from the corner mark.
- The kicker cannot play the ball a second time until it has been played by another player; infringement of this rule entail an indirect free kick to the opposing from the point of infringement.
- Players on opposing team must be at least 5 m away from point of the corner kick.
- Can score goal directly from a corner kick.
PENALTY KICK SHOOT OUT (ALL OVERTIMES)
- Main referee decides goal to be used.
- Coin tossed to decide order.
- Five kicks to be taken by 5 different players selected from the 12 suited players. Captain of each team announces these 5 to the main referee before the kicks are taken.
- If two teams are still tied after 5 kicks, the additional kicks will be taken on a sudden-death basis by the rest of the players who have not kicked yet.
- Players sent off during the match are not eligible to take these kicks.
- Any eligible player may change places with his goalkeeper.
- While the penalty shoot-out is in progress, players will remain on the opposite half of the pitch. The assistant referee shall control this area.
